How Not To Be A Monkey*

*With the exception of His Supreme Eminenceness Lord Bobo Barnabus, The Wonder Typewriting Monkey

Evolutionary psychology is retrodictive like evolutionary biology, but does not enjoy the same foundation as its well-established counterpart that has strong roots in many different fields of science, including paleontology, molecular biology, genetics and anthropology. Even the widely-held notion of evolutionary psychology that women were naturally monogamous was challenged by Dan Bergner, and has recently sparked public debate. The one thing that is certain, however, is that every decision that our ancestors have made, every adaptation, every stroke of genius or pure chance and every behavioural change has resulted in the social, sexual creatures that we are today. Our cousins, ranging from amoebas to giraffes, can also claim the glory of not being extinct (yet). But what sets our existence apart from all our other cousins?

 Man has often put himself on a pedestal, towering above all other living matter. Especially in religion, the concept of man being just below god and above everything else has been entrenched in the minds of many. Setting the 'god' bit aside, the position that man has given himself is quite telling - we are a superior species, period. When asked why, the typical range of answers would be 'we are intelligent', 'we know what is wrong and right' (some research suggest otherwise - that animals have morality), etc.

 Willie Poh Kaw Lik, a lecturer at Multimedia University tries to answer this, and boldly refuses to acknowledge that the answer to life is 42.

 During his talk at Pusat Rakyat LB, 'How Not To Be A Monkey', Willie addressed two central questions: What makes us different, and what is our purpose in life? He began with a casual discussion (everything is casual when you see your lecturer in jeans and a fedora) on the personal, individual purpose of the men and women in the room, and related it to the generic, darwinian purpose of living beings - to survive and reproduce.

A comparison was drawn between a monkey's purpose in life to a human's purpose in life, and it undoubtedly tallied one way or another, with both organisms evidently trying to maximise its pleasure with the minimum amount of resource, and both cycles involving reproduction at some point.

Not preaching, but illustrating a life-purpose

A cute example of what was illustrated on the board was the parallels between 'scratching one's ass' (monkey) and 'having an iPad' (human) , which both contributes to the overall satisfaction of a person, benefiting the mental well-being of an individual, hence making him or her more likely to live longer and reproduce. Well, depression dramatically increases one's chances of dying from a heart attack, plus it kills the sex drive. That wasn't such a big leap, actually. Although merely a tiny fraction, it makes up a part of the innumerable joys that occasionally punctuate the rigmarole we call life.

Once the audience saw that the goals of a human and a monkey were not too different, Willie got them to think hard about what set humans from other animals. An animated discussion ensued, with interesting suggestions ranging from 'self-realisation' to 'opposable thumbs'. Willie was the alpha chimp of the session and eventually got everyone to agree with his hypothesis, which was 'language', as the unifying factor of all that is unique about our kind.

Channelling his inner monkey.

Being a friend of Willie, it was difficult not to agree with that bespectacled face of geekiness. He raised compelling points, which conveniently directed all other outlying points towards the crux of the matter that was 'language'. His contention was that without language, mankind would have not advanced as much as he has done. It is true that some species of animals have some form of language, however their language is extremely limited in function. Animals cannot string their vocalizations into grammatically organised sentences. Although whether chimps can actually use language like we do is still a hot topic and being debated by scientists, it is pretty much established that no one animal has displayed the complexity in its language that is comparable to ours. Which is why, Willie argues, we have managed to build things, plan things, and so on.

Spot the monkey in the room!

By 5pm, Willie moved on to the next big question: Why should we survive? Willie's next compelling idea was that the ultimate worthwhile purpose in life, that even goes beyond the banal goal to survive and reproduce, is to process information and gain knowledge. This is reminiscent of people who leave behind legacies, wanting their creations, their businesses, to outlast their lifetimes. He takes care to note that this is typical of a scientific worldview, and acknowledges that it may not resonate with some who subscribe to a more god-centric viewpoint. He tied this back to the previous question of what sets us apart from other animals - language - and said that since humans are the only species we know who can record information comprehensively and to gain more knowledge, this makes humans the best species to survive.

Interestingly, the discussion led to a string of hypothetical situations. One of them was: How would you feel if Earth was in the middle of a hyperspace bypass that would allow two superintelligent species to co-author The Encyclopedia Galactica? (Not verbatim. I just wanted to have another Hitchhiker reference.) Everyone in the audience enjoyed a lively discussion, despite the occasional confusion (which is what happens when one discusses philosophy).

 To sum things up, one may say that the answer to the question of the day, 'how not to be a monkey', was more than 'not picking at one's arm pits'. It was to go beyond the cycle of 'survive --> reproduce', and create good in the world. To learn a second (or third, or fourth) language, because learning different languages gives one invaluable perspective on human behaviour and social interaction. Favour construction over destruction, conserve wisdom, learn from our mistakes. Most importantly, to not be a monkey, one must contribute to the betterment of mankind by adding to the knowledge we currently have by becoming a creator and not just a mere consumer.

The Haze: Do's and Don'ts

As suggested by the APOSL science club

It does look as though the haze is here to stay for a couple of months. While the various politicians battle it out with a war of words, let's leave them to it and do what we can to protect ourselves.

Do's:

• Shut the windows (including the windows in your bathroom) and doors of your house and stay indoors.
• Check the DOE's Air Pollutant Index daily. (http://apims.doe.gov.my/apims/) Any numbers higher than 200 are very unhealthy.
• Consider buying a “N95” respirator to use for when you go out. Read the instructions and learn to wear it correctly.. The method of using one can vary depending on the model and manufacturer – always consult your doctor first. Remember that respirators are usually unsuitable for children and pregnant women, and if you are a man, it will be required that you shave your facial hair to ensure the mask can form a proper seal.(1)(2)
• Use the air-conditioner as it can also help filter the air. If at all possible, consider replacing your air-conditioner filters with HEPA filters, high efficiency filters that remove fine particles from the air.
• To save money, have the entire family sit together in the room and take this opportunity to bond. Watch some television (Game of Thrones marathon anyone?), play tabletop games or simply break out the iPads and laptops. We recommend watching videos from TED, as there are quite literally hundreds of hours of useful and interesting knowledge to broaden one's horizons. (5)
• Go to an indoor gym more often. Restricting oneself indoors is no excuse to sit around all day and be lazy. Exercising outdoors has clearly become a liability, so why not take a quick drive and enrol in your nearest gym. The cheaper alternative is to work out at home. Stretching exercises are recommended as they don't take up much space and you still get the some of the benefits of exercise. Consider investing in a yoga mat.
• When driving to work, look for the recirculate button in your car.  Most cars have this function. This keeps the particulate counts in your car lower(1)
• Turn on the air-purifier if you have one. Remember to check and clean the filters in the air-conditioners and purifier regularly to keep them operating at maximum efficiency.
• Have a bottle of eye-drops handy for those who suffer from eye-irritation.
• Keep hydrated by drinking plenty of water.
• Wash your hands and face when entering from outdoors. Dust particles are essentially breeding grounds for bacteria.
• Shower and change into a fresh set of clothes as soon as you come home.

Do-nots:

• Do not use surgical masks and wet bandanas. They are poor substitutes and are not recommended for use as they do not form proper seals on the face to prevent you from inhaling unfiltered air.(2)(4)
• Do not smoke or burn anything inside the house, such as candles or incense, as this will increase the amount of dust indoors.(5)
• Do not use ozone generators to purify the air. This may be more dangerous than it's worth.(1)(3)(5)

These ideas and advices are picked from the APOSL science club’s Facebook discussion: https://www.facebook.com/groups/aposlmy/permalink/569341093109440/

Ref.:
1) http://www.colorado.gov/cs/Satellite?blobcol=urldata&blobheadername1=Content-Disposition&blobheadername2=Content-Type&blobheadervalue1=inline%3B+filename%3D%22Fire+and+smoke+FAQ.pdf%22&blobheadervalue2=application%2Fpdf&blobkey=id&blobtable=MungoBlobs&blobwhere=1251856472340&ssbinary=true
2) http://publichealth.nc.gov/docs/news/FrequentlyAskedQuestionsRegardingHealthAndWildfires.pdf
3) http://www.epa.gov/iaq/pubs/ozonegen.html
4) http://nmhealth.org/eheb/documents/SmokeandMasks61011.pdf
5) http://oehha.ca.gov/air/risk_assess/wildfirev8.pdf

Conversation: So, How Does Ointment Work?

I asked this question on the APOSL Facebook page: www.facebook.com/groups/aposlmy

Question: So, how does ointment work? When you apply ointment on your skin for an insect bite, how does it heal the sting? Or, doesn't it?

    Kenny Lim: Well it depends on what you use, but normally what we sell in the UK is an anti-inflammatory steroid cream like hydrocortisone 1%. The steroids mess about with the protein synthesis in cells and reduces the inflammation.

    Kenny Lim: Also I should mention that ointment and cream are slightly different in formulation. Both consist of an emulsion(mixture) of oil and water with a surfactant(it holds the oil and water together) but ointment is usually more "Oily". Most people prefer creams over ointments when it comes to skin conditions because it doesn't leave a greasy mark when you apply it, but generally ointments are better as protective agents(prevent the skin from drying out)

    Imran Radzmi: Oooh didn't know steroids interfere with protein synthesis too! How exactly does this occur? I always assumed the swelling is caused from migration of plasma into interstitial fluid in tissue, and steroids would surely cause the latter at least, since it interferes with immunity responses of which inflammation is one of em, interleukins and whatnot

    Imran Radzmi: I always found it strange that we cripple the body's natural response to wound healing with anti-inflammatories though, aside from say deletrious immune responses

    Kenny Lim: Well generally inflammation is not bad when you talk about bruises and wounds. There's a lengthy article here that explains in detail how steroids (glucocorticoids) work http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1751559/
    How corticosteroids control inflammation: Quintiles Prize Lecture 2005
    www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

    Imran Radzmi: Fulamak, ok i'll try and read this.
    In any case, inflammation helps recovery by reducing blood flow so that fibrin can condense more efficiently ka?

    Kenny Lim: No it increases blood flow. So you can get the white blood cells into the inflammation site(in case of infection) and also heat up the area to speed up the process of healing. The idea is to kill off foreign bodies, clean up any foreign material(usually inflammation is initiated by damaged tissue, which floats around and is eaten up by macrophages) and start with the repair process.

    Kok Sen Wai: You will be surprised to know how many diseases kills us not on its own but by causing our own body to hurt itself. I haven't counted but I think it might even be in the majority. That's why corticosteroids is a favourite of quack physicians (Chinese TCM practitioners especially, I understand). It really is a wonder drug. The reason why we in mainstream medicine is more reticent in using it willy nilly is that it can cause serious, serious side effects in the long run. Quacks that just want to quickly relieve your obvious symptoms (thus demonstrating how superior they are) have no such qualms.
    I got many people telling me how wonderful their TCM doctor is because they managed to "cure" their disease when their Western doctors can't. That's because we aren't into unscrupulous use of corticosteroids. I have seen many people coming in with Cushing's Syndrome from these sort of therapy.

    Imran Radzmi: Kenny- Increases blood flow? I always assumed all that swelling would impinge on the vasculature and cause constriction. It's the opposite? There is the heating effect but that can be explained by the increased blood flow..so how is flow increased?
    Kok-Yeowch, do you mean ailments like autoimmune disorders and anaphylaxis. Which still makes it strange to me. Then again the basis for autoimmune diseases isn't really understood yeah?
    Yeah that makes sense, since most who approach TCM, aside from terminal diseases probably do so for treatment of chronic pain like say poking needles into your arthritic knees lol
    All this talk of painkillers reminds me of a study that showed a correlation between elevation of mood and ingestion of anti-inflammatories and pyretics. One could surmise the body that goes into a state of repair might decrease activity and excitability and this might have neurological effects as well. Only read that one study though, and it was a small sample size i think

    Kenny Lim: No no, it's the other way around. The vasodilation increases blood flow, and the blood vessels become more "leaky" which allow macrophages and other proteins to enter the affected area, which causes the fluid to leak into the site of inflammation causing the swelling.

    Imran Radzmi: Yeah that's what i meant, vasodilation increases blood flow, but i was wondering how swelling which should constrict the vasculature, increase blood flow, but you just answered that by mentioning permeability, which i should have understood anyway given that i mentioned interstitial fluid...stupid me

    Imran Radzmi: So it's not necessarily blood flow, but mainly leakage from the vessels isn't it?

    Kenny Lim: Well I mentioned vasodilation earlier. That increases the blood flow. As you should know, blood is made of one part plasma too. That fluid leaks out of the blood vessels, making it swell.

    Imran Radzmi: Yeah, but you didn't mention where the vasodilation comes from? I was asking if the vasodilation itself was directly CAUSED by the swelling. So, the vasodilation that accompanies wounds and such, occurs separately?

    Kenny Lim: That would be histamine and nitric oxide released when tissues are damaged. http://www.daftblogger.com/vascular-response-in-acute-inflammation/
    Vascular Response in Acute Inflammation | Daft Blogger - Making it accessible
    www.daftblogger.com

    Kenny Lim: If you want a bit more detail, you can find mast cells in connective tissue, which contains a resevoir of histamine. When the tissue breaks, mast cells release histamine, and inflammation starts.

    Imran Radzmi: Ahh nitric oxide is released, no wondahh.

    Pepper Lim: We should make an info graphic to explain this.

    Pepper Lim: Kenny, could you break down your explanation on how ointment works into 4 or 5 panels that I can draw? Simple explanation please.

    Kenny Lim: Again, going to assume you mean hydrocortisone. I'd start off by explaining what happens in inflammation. In a wound or a bruise, connective tissue is damaged. Histamine is released from this broken tissue, causing vasodilation, cytokines(proteins) are also released, which recruit white blood cells like monocytes(more proteins) which chomp up all the broken and dead tissue. Vasodilation causes increased blood flow and osmotic pressure goes up. Intersitial fluid leaks into the site of inflammation, causing swelling. Hydrocortisone cream interferes with DNA synthesis, which reduces the production of pro-inflammatory proteins, thus reducing swelling.

    Pepper Lim: Let me take out my dictionary and try to make sense of it first before I attempt to draw it.